Mend These Broken Wings
by xAceofFools
Summary: When a terrible storm destroys everything that symbolized Pegasus Rainbow Dash, she is confined to the hospital, teetering on the edge of life. They said she'd never run again, fly again, but one shy Pegasus will do her best to change that. FlutterDash.
1. Lightning Strikes and Failing Hearts

A bright white light lingered overhead. The clinking of metal instruments resounded against the tiled walls. The silent beep of a electrocardiogram played a heavy tune throughout the room, the straggling green line rising and falling rapidly with each intake of sudden breath that lifted the chest of the patient laid carefully on the clothed table.

"We're losing her!" Doctor Stable's thick voice cut through the silence, temporarily drowning the heart monitor's beep.

The bright lights in the room suddenly spun into a spray of blurs, the sounds of the surgeons around her dulling to garbles. A touch of warmth hit her chest, flaring fresh shocks through her nerves, and she felt her back slightly arch from what didn't completely register as pain. The one hit snapped the blue pony's eyes open, vividly sculpting out her surroundings for only a moment; showing clearly the lamp that was fixed upon her, the pillow her head rested against, and the bloodied sheets that lay partly across her flank. But within a seconds time a rim of darkness slipped around her vision, and she swore she felt herself being pulled downward into oblivion.

All the scarcely recognized pain disappeared, and a hesitant moment later the Pegasus's eyes lifted open. This new place was strange. Completely white, not a speck of darkness to be seen. She couldn't even tell if she were standing on a solid object, or floating, for no exertion of energy could be felt. An appealing feeling spread across her limbs, and a soft sigh of happiness left her. Though not a sound slid through the ivory existence, the female was at ease. She felt she could never be happier. The absence of her friends didn't bother her, and the silence and stillness did not unnerve her. It all felt so.. right.

How long she was in that perfect world would be unknown to her until a few days later- in fact, she wouldn't even remember this experience- but for now, it felt like centuries, and each passing minute was more welcome than the last...

* * *

** -A day before-**

"Hey guys, watch this!"

A blue blur shot across the sky, leaving a trial of rainbow that skipped from each gray cloud to the next, creating a connect-the-dots image of one word, 'Dash'.

Applejack rolled her eyes, lifting an orange hoof to tilt her cowboy hat down to cover the annoyed expression. Twilight Sparkle chuckled softly, her eyes shifting to Fluttershy, who was merely watching with awe, her rarely used wings shuffling against her back. Rarity didn't seem to be paying attention at all; the glamorous white unicorn was walking about on the tips of her hooves, mumbling to herself about the mud with her eyes narrowed. Pinkie Pie wasn't present, having had to babysit the Cake's twins while the two earth pony were at a bake off.

The line of rainbow commenced across the sky, winding in tight corkscrews and spins, among other, more difficult, tricks.

"Hey, Rainbow Dash, it's looking like it's about to start to rain, you may want to finish up and come down soon!" Twilight yelled up into the darkening sky, appearing worried by the look in her purple colored eyes.

The Pegasus didn't seem to hear, though, as she continued to wind through the ebony clouds, paying no heed to the harsh rain that dampened her coat and made her multicolored mane stick to her forehead and neck, nor the sharp wind that helped to accelerate her stunts.

A flash of lightning struck a few miles away to the South, signaling the incoming storm. From what Twilight remembered reading, the weather center hadn't scheduled a storm. _What was going on?_

"DASH!" The student yelled loudly, but the wind snapped away her words._  
_

Applejack looked up, though seemed a lot more calm than Twilight, who was beginning to canter back and forth apprehensively. "I'm sure she'll realize, sugarcube," the orange pony murmured, stepping closer to her friend to comfort her at the same time Fluttershy scooted over with a small whimper.

The storm was moving quickly, and within a few minutes the onslaught of rain heightened til the large drops were painful against the skin. The frightened ponies retreated beneath a tree with Rarity, their eyes scouring the clouds for any signs of Rainbow Dash, but she seemed to have disappeared.

Another bolt of electricity ignited the sky; but something was wrong. The flash didn't touch the ground. What the end of the strike met was far above the earth, even the trees.

The blue pony's scream of agony was unheard through the rain as the spectacle of the sky met with her body, her wings. The massive strength and power of the lightning charred her upper torso, a flame burst through her mane, scalding her neck, capturing the feathers of her wings.

She plummeted as a comet. Her writhing body stilled about halfway to the ground as her sapped energy and failing functions blocked her senses out-probably induced by the sudden surge of electrical currents through her body- leaving minimal feeling to her, with only mostly vision to tell the final outcomes of the moment. The last she felt was the grasp of the tree limbs as her body smashed through the branches, gouging wounds along her sides and legs, before she smashed into the ground, the snapping of numerous bones heard upon contact.

The Pegasus's body lay in a crumpled, smoldering mass. Blue fur tinged black, with portions of burnt skin visible along her spine and head. The last of the flames that had so briefly yet so powerfully altered her were extinguished from the rains, though their lesser counterparts leaped across the leaves she'd smashed through on her decent. The pony's once beautiful wings were nothing more than crisp black extensions from her back. Her mane and tail reduced to no more than about an inch of unlively tresses.

Twilight's magical aura lifted her up carefully, and Applejack's sturdy frame was felt beneath her. Rarity and Fluttershy's quick breaths were like whispers in her ears. All fell to blackness.


	2. Grounded

AN: To anyone who's actually interested in reading this so far terrible story, it will hopefully be updated at least once a week from now on, maybe two if I feel up to it.

* * *

The cyan pony's violet eyes blinked open. She felt dreadfully numb all over; lifting a simple hoof felt like dragging up a twenty pound weight, and it didn't seem rolling over was physically possible any longer. Rainbow Dash glanced along the complete space of her vision, coming puzzledly across tubes connected to her wrapped arm, leading up to a bag of clear liquid hung upon a silver pole. She couldn't dwell on this curious matter for long, for she felt a prick against her skin, and her eyes fell heavily closed once more.

There were only the dim lights to look upon from her current point of view as Rainbow was rused again from her dreamless slumbers. Lights, and the tiled ceiling above. Strange, the place seemed oddly familiar, but she couldn't place a name to it no matter how long she lingered on the thoughts. Turning herself painfully over, she looked along her right arm, though saw no signs of the tubing. Maybe she'd just imagined it?

Turning carefully onto her side with a wince, she examined the rest of the room. The floor reflected the ceiling, a perfect slate of tile, while the plaster walls were painted a simple white. A single window lay partly open on the far side of the room, a soft wind ruffling the green curtains that surrounded it. A metal tray covered in instruments lay untouched a few feet away, and a shelf stocked with books and upholding a lamp rested against the wall to her left.

The hospital! The cyan mare suddenly slammed herself up, though choked up on a flare of pain through her ribs and chest, and she sunk backwards against the backboard of the bed, chest heaving with pain while her violet eyes clenched closed. _Oh, sweet Celestia, what in Equestria was that? I think I would have remembered getting hurt this bad_, the pony thought with a grimace, turning her eyes to her body.

It was strange how she hadn't even glanced at herself once the whole time she'd been there, and she definitely wasn't glad she had just now. "M-my.. My..." her voice came out raspy, severely altered compared to her typical sweet tones, and her mouth didn't seem to move quite right. She was horrified. Her torso was a grotesque stitch-work fit for a horror film, and her hindlegs were both cast in thick layers and fabric, so tight she apparently couldn't feel them at all. But a sharp, seething emotion suddenly twisted through her, raising a sense of intense absence, and sudden longing.

She carefully turned her head, feeling suddenly queasy. She gazed at the linen bandages carefully wrapped around her mid section, and tilted her head, before shrugging with a relieved sigh; she'd hurt her wings before, that was the reason she remembered the hospital. Still, she was curious to what had happened, and what the complete damages had been, but there wasn't a doctor in sight, or anypony else for that matter. The other two beds were empty.

So for the next hour Rainbow laid quietly, gazing in distraught at her bandaged legs. How long would this keep her here? Most likely much longer than when she hurt that darned wing.

* * *

The sound of hooves against the solid floors alerted Rainbow Dash from the quite boring activity she'd invested her lonely time in; counting the tiles on the ceiling, which she must've done a dozen times by now; counting exactly seven vertical rows and three horizontal, making twenty-one individual tiles. Leaning up slowly this time, she looked eagerly toward the door, but the sound moved past the door, growing quieter as whomever it was receded down the hallway.

Though a few minutes later the footsteps returned, and the soft light of magic filtered from under the door, a light orange arua, as it was used to turn the doorknob, then swing open to door itself. A young unicorn slipped in, her pale gray eyes glancing around the room, as if surprised by its emptiness, before she looked toward Rainbow with a small smile through the tray she held in her mouth.

Cantering over, the mare rested the tray gently on the bedside table, and Rainbow looked up to see what was on it, suddenly feeling particularly ravenous.

To her confusion, there was a simple glass filled with some thick paste, topped with a red and white striped straw. She tilted her head, before looking to the unicorn mare, "W-wha-?"

"Oh, Ms. Dash," the gray pony interrupted her, "You seemed to have broken your jaw in the crash, so you've been assigned a strict eating schedule: shakes, shakes, and more shakes," she tried to give an enthusiastic smile, but her eyes told how dreadfully sorry she was for the older cyan pony.

But Rainbow had temporally forgotten about the 'shake'. This pony knew what had happened to her! Or at least partially. Opening her crooked mouth, she frantically waved her hooves to hold the unicorn up, "W-what happ-ened?"

The nearly filly sized nurse hesitated, a frown tugging across her simple lips, before she ducked her head, hiding her sorrowful eyes from the rainbow-maned mare, "Um, that's a better question for the doctor," and with that she quickly dispersed, closing the door tightly behind her.

Huffing angerly, she reached over for the cup. Grabbing the straw in her lips, she took a small sip, before gagging and spluttering, pushing the tray away. She'd have to be starving to eat that foul goop.

Apparently the unicorn had actually sent a doctor to her, or it was just coincidence that Mr. Stable walked in through the doors only minutes later. He had some papers in his mouth that he was trying to read while carefully maneuvering to the blue pony's bedside. Putting the files down for a minute, he cleared his throat, looking somberly at Rainbow Dash, "It's very painful to say this, but as a doctor it's my responsibility to tell. Rainbow, you were stuck in a storm about a week ago. You had serious burns along your back and neck. We shaved the burned hair off your body and the whole of your mane, but it's growing back nicely, though still rather short. You've also suffered many broken ribs and a broken jaw, as you've already realized, and we had stitch up a couple punctured organs, good things your friends got you here as fast as they did. Sadly, the damage to your legs upon impact doesn't seem fully repairable, they're weak, to weak to use anymore, I'm afraid. We have you put down for a wheelchair when you're well enough to leave-"

"B-but, I can fly!" the Pegasus interrupted, wincing from the pain that inflamed across her jaw.

Dr. Stable uncomfortably shifted his weight from hoof to hoof, "Actually, your wings are in as bad a condition as your hind legs, if not worse," the stallion lowered his voice, "The nerves in them are dead, and therefore the wings themselves are unusable. I'm sorry, Rainbow Dash," he gave a sad glance to the pony, before grabbing his papers and leaving the room.

The cyan mare's jaw gaped open, surely this wasn't true. A cruel joke? A sick prank? Her wings were what made her... well her. She'd performed the legendary Sonic Rainboom twice, was the fastest pony in the skies, the strongest Pegasus; undeniably, unquestionably awesome and heroic! So how did a simple storm destroy her in such a way?

She tried to ruffle her wings even under the lacework of bandages, trying to reassure herself over and over that it was a lie. That she was perfectly fine. But she felt nothing, not the slightest twitch, just emptiness. Turning her face against her pillow, she sobbed into the white fabric. Cried until she fell asleep, into the hooves of a dark, depressing nightmare, where a wall of flames was advancing on her, and she was stuck in one spot, wailing to her friends, standing on the safety of a ledge, to rescue her, but they only spat rude remarks, gloating there superiority.


	3. Author's Note

Alright, after receiving some enthusiastic PMs about this story, I've decided to try to continue working on it. It really warmed my heart and made my day whenever I got positive reviews on it, and that even today people still find it and read it and contact me wanting to read more of it. I'm flattered really, I love all of you whom take the time to read this fic.

As far as the story goes, I read over the posted chapters and nearly had a heart attack. There's much editing to be done, and I'm probably going to redo the third chapter entirely. I have no idea why I decided to introduce my OC into the story. It's really beyond me, haha. And oh my goodness how out of character is Fluttershy there?! I really need to rewatch some episodes and establish their character's better. I also clearly need to work on chapter length as well... If I ever hope to be a professional writer, that length won't cut it. And it's obviously not enough for you guys either!

ANYWHO, this story is being rehabilitated, with a redone chapter three probably coming tomorrow since this whole weekend I have nothing planned. Expect maybe a brand spanking new chapter Saturday night or Sunday morning, though don't expect to much, I can get off task and lazy, which is the main reason this story hasn't been updated.

I'll see you soon my darlings, I hope you wait on the very edges of your seats for what's to come~


	4. Good News

**Author's Note:  
**Hey old followers of the story, here's that new chapter three I promised to you all. And to those of you just reading now, consider yourself lucky to have not read the last chapter three, because it was awful. xD

* * *

The next morning presented itself after what felt like days within that dream, and Rainbow Dash was thankful that it was finally over, despite the ordeals she now had to face in the waking world. Anything was better than the faux gloating of her friends deep in the recesses of her nightmares.

Drawing a soft sigh through her parched lips, the cyan mare gently rolled herself onto her side, her blunt teeth grinding together as a quick and biting pain flared through her back. Apparently the last dose of painkillers had lost its luster within the night, though a moment of thought brought the mare to think they really weren't doing much to dull her pain in the first place.

For quite a while there was not a whisper to be heard in the confines of her empty room. It wasn't until about noon that the peace was shattered. Rarity had come by for a quick farewell; she was off to Canterlot to fill in an order. After the white Unicorn disappeared, the nurse from before brought her lunch, which she rested on the bedside table when the other mare had left.

The pressing silence made Rainbow look back on the only memorable thing on her mind at the moment: her dream. How could any part of her mind have conjured such things? She'd never thought for a second her friend's would feel greater than her now that she was crippled, not even Applejack, the pony who'd tested the Pegasus' endurance and strength in the Iron Pony competition and the Running of the Leaves. The mares just weren't like that... Or were they?

Rainbow slouched her shoulders, burying her snout into her pillow with a shuddering breath, attempting to turn the thoughts from her mind. But now that she'd thought it, it stuck to her brain, as annoying as a Parasprite. She needed a distraction now, before she led herself into firmly believing her nightmare had been something that proved to be true.

Astoundingly a moment after that thought Dr. Stable peaked his head in the door, horn shimmering in the dim light of the room, carrying what could only be papers currently out of her sight. Seeing his patient was up, the doctor cantered into the room, "Good morning, Rainbow Dash. Or should I say good afternoon, how long have you been up?" A stack of floating parchment followed him in and settled down on the far counters.

The Pegasus narrowed her violet eyes. Why'd the doc seem so happy? The other day he'd been so serious. Deciding it was only because he'd been relaying grave news, she offered the most real smile she could conjure, "I'd guess a few hours, maybe four, I had a nightmare... What's up, is someone here to see me?" She tilted her head, one blue ear flopping over her messy, regrowing bangs.

"Unfortunately, no." Dr. Stable chuckled and rolled his eyes as the distraught mare pouted her lips. "You seem to be in better spirits. Are you handling... this well?"

Rainbow bit her lip, looking away from the doctor. Honestly, she'd not thought about since she woke up, and even as he said it the problem seemed a million miles away. Perhaps her body was tired of the prolonged stress and just succumbed to the fact what happened had happened.

"I guess," she mumbled finally, wringing her hooves together.

The doctor offered a gentle smile, before turning away from her and toward where he'd settled the papers when he'd first come in. "I have some very good news, Rainbow Dash." The mare sat up, ignoring the rhythmic pulses of her sore body, ears pricked. "We took some x-rays before you awoke from your shock-induced coma, three days ago, and we finally received the results after a bit of complications with the equipment."

The cyan mare could feel herself beaming, her heart a flutter in her chest. Maybe they'd been wrong! Maybe she wasn't as bad as they said and things had gotten much better after the first x-rays they took when they first received her during that stormy night! She watched with wide, hoping eyes as Dr. Stable switched the light on the device that would show the pictures, and then more eagerly when he pinned the black squares up onto the board. The regular papers he had with him were straightened up and set back down.

Clearing his throat, he stood up on his back hooves, leaning his fore ones on the counter. Pointing to the first x-ray, he began talking, "This is a photo of your right hind leg. As you can see, it's been fractured- here," he lifted a hoof, pointing to the splinter and then to a more obvious point of peril which had a large darker rectangle over it, "And here it received a lot stress, bending the bone but not quite breaking it. The darker part you see is where we implanted a plate to help straighten it out. If it goes according to plan, your bones here should repair themselves correctly, as opposed to the way they could have, which would unable you to walk correctly. You can't see through the x-rays, but the nerves don't look quite as bad as we first assumed."

He went quickly over her left leg, which had been worse off, suffering a break which had had a screw and staples fitted to it. The doctor explained that normally it'd only be cast, but because Rainbow desperately needed physical therapy on top of psychological treatments they'd put the metalwork into it to furthermore help it along in the healing process.

Next up came her skull and upper body, which were all good save a her broken jaw(which was mostly healed already) and a few broken ribs that would quickly and easily heal. The broken bones had struck organs as she'd been told before, but they were practically healed, which was also a good sign.

And finally, after all the x-rays were taken down, two brand new ones of her wings were put up. What was disheartening though, was Dr. Stable wasn't looking as elated as before.

"While the rest of you is healing nicely, your wings are showing little results. The feathers have started growing back, which is a good sign towards the condition of your skin, but they were unresponsive to the tests. We'll try again in about a month. On the brighter side, you'll be relieved from the hospital tonight. Your condition is no longer critical, and you show no signs of internal injuries. Your heart has been working exceptionally well through all the stress, as well. But, if you feel anything could possibly be wrong, come back here. And also, you'll be given a wheelchair."

"A wheelchair!" Rainbow burst furiously, about to strike up that she could just fly rather than standing on her injured legs before realizing why that wouldn't work. "Right..." She flopped onto her back with a huff.

"You're friends will be contacted later to come and get you and make arrangements as to where you'll be staying from now-" he stopped himself, before continuing, "Until you improve. You should get some rest now, I'll get somepony to come and give you more painkillers."

With that the doctor lifted his papers up, pulled the x-rays of her wings off the board and turned it off, before slipping out of the room.

As he said, a nurse came and administered more painkiller to her IV, and she fell into a more humble sleep when her pain numbed. Her dreams were empty, though comfortably so.

She awoke again to voices tickling her ears, and a smile spread across her mouth before she even opened her eyes to take in the sight of her friends. Twlight Sparkle looked a little uncomfortable to be in the room while the Pegasus had been asleep, but brightened up with her signature cheery grin and closed eyes. She said something about how well Rainbow was recovering, but the cyan mare didn't catch it, as she was absorbed in her other friend who''d come along.

Fluttershy stood at her bedside, shaking from what could only be anticipation or excitement judging by the glorious smile across her face that would look timid and miniscule only to those who didn't know the pale yellow mare. "Rainbow! Dr. Stable told us all about how well your doing, I'm so proud," she squeaked with a little hop, her typically unused wings fluttering happily over her back.

"Fluttershy! Don't smother her," Twilight cut across as the fellow Pegasus lent over Rainbow's bed, her cotton candy pink mane tickling the cyan pony's nose and cheeks.

The shy mare blushed, huddling herself together and back a bit from her ailed friend. She was quiet for a second, tapping her hoof against the floor, before perking up, though Twilight spoke before she could.

"Oh, Rainbow we all decided it be best for you to stay at Fluttershy's cottage," the purple unicorn said with a small cringe, just knowing Rainbow would object. But before she could, Twlight continued, "Applejack has to much work to watch you, I have my studies, Rarity's out of town, and Celestia knows you'd be far worse off staying with Pinkie Pie. It was only sensible to put you into Fluttershy's care, she'll be able to pick you back up on your hooves faster than any doctor."

To her surprise, Rainbow just stared flatly at her as she explained, before giving a playful sigh and a chuckle, "Of course Fluttershy's place is best. If anypony can get me better, it's her," she stated determinedly, sitting up in her bed and showing off a smile.

"Well that's the spirit," Twilight hummed, before snapping around as Dr. Stable appeared, pushing a wheelchair that reeked of disinfectant. It must have only just been cleaned up for the cyan Pegasus' use.

With some difficulty, and the conjoined teamwork of the doctor and her two friends, Rainbow was set in the most comfortable way into the chair after having her bandages redone for the last time at the hospital. Fluttershy would tend them in the future. At least the doctor let Rainbow Dash get a look at her damaged wings for the first time, and she was pleased to see indeed the feathers were returning; blue downy tufts were spreading over the fire-darkened skin.

As they rolled her out, the doctor gave them his card and stressed that if anything at all appeared wrong she should come right back to the hospital, then he was gone.

The walk to the cottage was full of small talk like they'd done so many times before, and it felt almost normal. Twlight was nodding off on her feet as they reached the door, and after some fretting by Fluttershy she was convinced into staying the night.

Within the cottage a place was set on the couch for Rainbow, and even a few of her things were there. Fluttershy explained she'd went to Rainbow's cloud house and brought things she might want in the coming weeks. A few magazines about the Wonder Bolts were stacked on the coffee table, and her Wonder Bolts bedspread and pillows were settled on the couch.

After thanking the yellow Pegasus for facing her fear of heights to get her things, the cyan pony, with the aid of Twilight, was helped onto the couch, where she snuggled into her familiar things, warmed by the sweet scent of her own things and the gentle smell of the cozy cottage.

Not wanting to leave her all alone, Twilight and Fluttershy cuddled up on the couch beside her, and the three dozed off while watching t.v. Their would be a big day tomorrow for Rainbow, and she needed as much rest as possible.

* * *

**Author's Note:  
**So how was this chapter? It's about 2,000 words, which is not quite as long as I was hoping for but... Was it long enough, or do you guys want longer? Do you think it was written any better than the two older chapters? Tell meeee~


End file.
